one question to guide your new year mindset

Often January 1 serves as an emotional nudge for each of us to make a list of new resolutions (or readjust an unfinished list from last year) to help us feel like we are productive, responsible human beings. It’s pretty well known that most of us don’t usually make it that far into a new year before we are back to our old patterns.

What if you take on a different mindset as you look ahead into this year (and maybe every year going forward)?

If you’re up for it, I suggest using one basic question to guide your heart and thoughts for 2019.

Ask yourself, “How will I look back on this when I’m at the end of my days?”

What will you wish you had done? What will you wish you had said? Starting today, live so you won’t be able to think of any.

Regrets are heavy, and we all have some. While we all regret things we wished we hadn’t done or said, perhaps the heaviest regrets are what we didn’t do, or didn’t say.

Adopt a no regrets mindset.

A no regrets mindset is a bit different from a bucket list. Bucket lists are places to visit, activities to experience, things like that. The mindset approach doesn’t really have a list but more of a directive to guide your decisions. It’s more of a “go for it, don’t hold back” mindset.

Climb that mountain. Chase that dream.

What’s your mountain? What’s your dream?

Love that person. Write that apology note. Tell that person how you feel, without being concerned about their response, or even if they have one.

Start that business. Go for it so you can say you did. Who knows how you might change the world for someone.

What’s the fruit of a no regrets mindset?

Fulfillment. Peace. Joy.

That’s what I want to feel in my heart when I’m close to my last breath.

Greg Griffin is a Pastoral Counselor in private practice in Marietta. His specialty is relationship repair and rescue- helping partners, spouses, and parents and their adolescents. He’s also the author of Dungeon Times Survival Guide, and Vital Faith.